A TEG system is attached to a rotating shaft and generates electricity from radiant energy that is substantially radiatively transmitted through the atmosphere from a stationary source to the TEG system that is rotating with the shaft. The rotation of the shaft provides cooling to the TEG system, but not heat energy. The TEG system includes at least one TEG, each TEG equipped with an energy receiving and heat containment window and an energy conversion system in combination with controlled convection cooling enhanced by an airflow moving in response to the rotation of the rotating shaft. Individual TEGs having controlled convection cooling also are described.

A sensor for sensing a gaseous analyte comprising semiconductor phononic nanowire structure and a micro-platform. The sensor comprises a thermal element sensitive to temperature and involving variously chemi-resistive, absorptive and phase change effects. Sensor readout includes monitoring the temperature of the micro-platform.

The present invention provides a thermoelectric conversion material having a considerably increased Seebeck coefficient, and a thermoelectric conversion device, a thermo-electrochemical cell and a thermoelectric sensor which include the material. The thermoelectric conversion material of the present invention includes a redox pair and a capture compound which captures only one of the redox pair selectively at low temperature and releases at high temperature.

A method is provided for growing a fiber structure, where the method includes: obtaining a substrate, growing an array of pedestal fibers on the substrate, growing fibers on the pedestal fibers, and depositing a coating surrounding each of the fibers. In another aspect, a method of fabricating a fiber structure includes obtaining a substrate and growing a plurality of fibers on the substrate according to 1½D printing. In another aspect, a multilayer functional fiber is provided produced by, for instance, the above-noted methods.

An imager pixel comprising a micro-platform supported by phononic nanowires, the nanowires providing an extreme-level of thermal isolation from a surrounding substrate. The micro-platform in embodiments comprises thermal sensors sensitive to heat from absorbed incident longwave/shortwave photonic irradiation. In embodiments, the pixel photonic sensing structure comprises both a thermal sensor together with a separate photodiode/phototransistor/photogate for sensing RGB and NIR wavelengths. Some embodiments comprise a micro-platform with an integral Peltier thermoelectric element permitting in situ refrigeration to cryogenic temperatures.

A thermoelectric generator has a heat conducting body that exchanges heat with the environment according to environmental temperature changes, a heat storing body, and a thermoelectric conversion unit and thermal resistance body arranged between the heat conducting body and the heat storing body. One end of the thermal resistance body and one end of the thermoelectric conversion unit are in contact with each other. The other end of the thermal resistance body is in contact with the heat conducting body, and the other end of the thermoelectric conversion unit is in contact with the heat storing body. The surface of the heat storing body is covered by a covering layer having certain heat insulation properties. The temperature difference generated between the heat conducting body and the heat storing body is utilized to extract electric energy from the thermoelectric conversion unit.

Systems and methods are disclosed of a service cart for an aircraft or other vehicle, which includes a thermoelectric device capable of generating a current as a result of a temperature differential between a cold compartment of the cart and an ambient environment. The current can be either stored in a battery or other storage device, and used to power one or more electronic components associated with the cart.

A temperature controlled container includes a case which has a storage space formed therein; a thermoelectric element; a heat transfer body in communication with the thermoelectric element and facing the storage space. The heat transfer body includes a heat transfer case which has an enclosed space formed therein and is wider than the thermoelectric element, and includes a portion facing the thermoelectric element; a phase change material which is accommodated in the enclosed space; and a heat transfer body which is disposed in the heat transfer case so as to be positioned in the enclosed space. The heat transfer body has a first body portion which is in communication with the portion of the heat transfer case facing the thermoelectric element and a second body portion, and the first body portion in communication with the second body portion.

The present invention includes a server system that uses an airflow source that can be external to the computer that the airflow source cools. The computer may be sealed such that the conduits are the primary source of fluid ingress and egress. The airflow source can be positioned in a case of the computer, support members affixing the computer to a rack stand, the rack stand, or beyond conduit that conducts fluid to the rack stand.

The present invention includes a lateral support member for a server computer constructed to permit advantageous airflow. The present invention can be operated to shunt organized airflow into multiple computer cases and/or organized airflow from multiple computer cases to a dedicated heat reservoir.